środa, 22 września 2010

My Grandfather Francis Joseph Philips was born on 10 November 1909 in Stanislau (Polish Stanisławów, today Ukrainian Ivano Frankivsk), in Galicia, which was a part of the Austrian – Hungarian Empire. Hence it is easy to guess that the names Franz Joseph was given in honor of the reigning emperor of Austria - Franz Joseph I.In 1927 he married Wanda Józefa Bartoszewska, with whom he lived in Stanislau in Wyspianski 17 Street Wyspianski 17 (today Odessa Str. in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine).He was mobilized to the Polish army on Aug. 27, 1939 year, as a soldier of the 48 Infantry Rifle Regiment in Stanislau. From 3 September 1939 to 16 September 1939 he took part in the fighting against German aggressors fighting under Bochnia, Zamosc, Janowiec, Tomaszów Lubelski, entering into the composition of the 16 Tarnów Infantry Regiment. After the aggression of the Soviet troops in eastern Poland on 17 September 1939, he was captured by the Soviet Union and was imprisoned in the camp, where he remained until 1942. On 1st February 1942, he joined the Polish army formed by General Wladyslaw Anders. Since that time he was a soldier of the Krechowiecki Cavalry Regiment. He left in Stanislau his wife and three children, with who he never saw again. In April 1942, he was in the Polish Armed Forces in Iran. March 25, 1942, in the connection with the reduction of food portion of the army, the regiment in the first evacuation sailed from Krasnovodsk (USSR) to Pahlevi (Iran). May 13, 1943 F. Philips comes to Palestine and is then sent in May to the British training base in the village of Abbassi (northern outskirts of Cairo), where he ends the course as a tank and motor mechanic. 11 January 1944 is appointed corporal. From 8 April 1944 to May 8, 1945. takes part in the fighting at the front in Italy, including the battle at Monte Cassino, as a soldier of 2nd Armoured Brigade. For the participation in the Italian campaign is awarded the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-45.

After the war, along with other soldiers of Anders Army found itself in the UK. 10 July 1948 was exempted from the Polish Armed Forces in the UK and he emigrated to Argentina and next to Canada.